Art as Story

Guardians

Host of Plagues

Deadly Beauty

Nasty Woman

Medusa

As guardians of our rights and freedoms, my Women Warriors series are wall masks mounted on shields with swords. They are inspired by the 2020 Women’s Suffrage Centennial celebrating the 19th Amendment when women courageously fought to win the right to vote. “The Host of Plagues” channels our intense response to this raging COVID19 global pandemic. The python with its varied and intense symbolism—all of it inspiring awe and terror—replaces the sword in this representation. As I adhere to sheltered-in-place, I am developing a rather primitive relationship with this work; it is my protective talisman that must remain in my home studio to keep me…to keep us all safe. “Deadly Beauty” expresses the toll of the drug crisis created in my grief over a young friend who died from street heroin laced with Fentanyl. The mask, crowned with poppies, shows nature’s beauty punctured by heroin needles. The gloved hands obscuring the mouth represents the cover-up of big Pharma profits over human misery. “Nasty Woman” fights for equality and dominion over her body. Along with the long history of women kept powerless by men, the profound refugee crisis often separates children from their parents. Painted tampons dominate the sculpture. “Medusa”, crowned with yellow roses symbolizing the Suffragettes represents the duality of mother nature to give birth and destroy. Exploitation of our natural resources puts money into the pockets of the powerful rich while our poorest and most vulnerable victims are displaced and dying. These assemblages incorporate largely recycled materials since I am intrigued by their histories and concerned with limiting my carbon footprint.

Artist Tools

Sewing Kit

Carpenter Tool Belt

“Tikkun Olam”, translated as “repair the tear in the world” is an ancient Hebrew phrase that originally had mystical connotations that the world was created imperfectly to be fixed only by human endeavor. Contemporary usage of the phrase shares a concern with public policy and societal change extending to urgent global environmental emergency. My small “Repair the World” tool kits communicate the need for people to actively participate in Tikkun Olam. The stages represent the globe. (Recycled cardboard; painted with acrylics. 7 inches high x 7 inches wide x 5 inches deep.)